Dear Esther trailer teases Feb. 14 release

Indie developer thechineseroom's high-definition Dear Esther remake has already been announced for a February 14 release, but a new official trailer for the game made its way onto the Internet today, reminding us why we should be excited.

Besides looking absolutely stunning, the game that was originally incarnated as a Half-Life 2 mod in 2008 before receiving Valve's blessing and Indie Fund dollars, promises to retain all of the intrigue that made the original experience so compelling. It'll transport players to a mysterious island where they'll wrestle with memories of a fatal car crash and discover the writings of a dying explorer.

DICE artist Robert Briscoe's work on Dear Esther looks like it will really help enhance the atmosphere of the game's desolate environments, which will also be supported by the game's hauntingly-poetic voice-over narration and ambient soundtrack. The fact that Dear Esther has been nominated for Excellence in Visual Art, Excellence in Audio, Nuovo, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the 2012 Independent Games Festival should be more than enough reason to keep the game on your radar as the Valentine's Day release approaches.

Dear Esther will be priced at $9.99, and will be available via Steam.